Known in the art is a three-dimensional logic puzzle game (see the USSR I. C. No. 1452535, M. . A63F 9/08 of Nov. 3, 1986, published Jan. 23, 1989) made as a sphere comprising game-playing elements of two types which are formed by dissecting the sphere by three planes perpendicular to the vertical axis thereof.
In the known puzzle game the sphere is also dissected by meridian planes. To connect the two types of game-playing elements formed by this dissection of the sphere, the game-playing elements of one type are provided with grooves, while the game-playing elements of the second type are provided with projections. The known three-dimensional logic puzzle game incorporates a hinging unit allowing the game-playing hemispheres to turn in the meridian plane and featuring a shroud ring with a guiding closed groove made on the interior surface. The game-playing elements adjoining the poles have projections which form, when matched, central locating cylinders to interact with the guiding groove of the shroud ring.
Because of its complex design the known three-dimensional logic puzzle game is difficult in fabrication and insufficiently interesting.
The low fabricability is accounted for by the fact that the process of assembly of the known puzzle game is complicated by presence of the shroud ring. Moreover, the shroud ring that envelopes the sphere covers the game-playing elements, while the game-playing elements can only move in layers about the vertical axis or revolve hemi-spherically in the meridian planes, which requires no high mental strain on the part of the player. This reduces the entertaining potential of the game.
As regards its technical substance and technical result achieved, the closest analog of the claimed three-dimensional logic game is the one described in RF Patent No. 2064315, M. . A63F9/08 of Jun. 2, 1993, published Jul. 27, 1996 and featuring a sphere comprising game-playing elements of two types formed by dissecting the sphere by three planes perpendicular to the vertical axis thereof, and connecting elements, each of which connecting two adjacent playing elements of the same type.
In the known three-dimensional logic game puzzle, the sphere is also dissected by meridian planes. To connect the two types of game-playing elements formed by such a dissection of the sphere, use is made of arc-like connecting elements of two types. Placed on the vertical axis of the sphere, at the polar points, in the grooves of the game-playing elements of the first type having a shape of a spherical triangle, are washers one of which is rigidly fixed by pins to the game-playing element of the first type, while the other moves freely being non-attached to anything. The adjacent game-playing elements of the first type are interconnected with the aid of connecting elements of the first type, while the connecting elements of the other type are designed to interconnect the adjacent game-playing elements of the second type shaped as spherical parallelograms at the point where these are dissected by a center plane, one such connecting element being rigidly attached with pins to a game-playing element of the second type. The game-playing elements of the second type have three types of grooves to connect to the game-playing elements of the first type and to one another, while the geometrical dimensions of these grooves in one hemisphere differ from the geometrical dimensions of the grooves in the other hemisphere. The game-playing element of the first type has a T-shaped projection to engage the adjacent game-playing elements of the second type, while the connecting element has two projections, on its one side the T-shaped projection extending through its entire length, while on the other side a narrow projection is provided extending through more than half the element's length and then passing into a T-shaped projection. The game-playing elements of the known puzzle game can move in layers with respect to the sphere's vertical axis or rotate hemi-spherically in the meridian planes through an angle of 180° and angles multiple thereof.
The known three-dimensional logic puzzle game has a complex design, which complicates its fabrication and makes it insufficiently entertaining.
The above is due to the fact that the known puzzle game has a large number of various assembly units and fasteners. Considering that the diameter of such puzzle games never exceeds 120 mm, the assembly units and, especially, the fasteners are made rather small in size. At the same time, different kinds of grooves and projections provided on the assembly units render them non-exchangeable while requiring high precision of fabrication thereof. Even a smallest deviation from the established dimensions may result in sticking of the game-playing elements. Besides, the use of fasteners, such as pins, and washers impairs reliability of the puzzle game in work and increases consumption of labor on its production. The puzzle game thus becomes insufficiently interesting, because the game-playing elements can only be moved layer by layer about the vertical axis or can be rotated hemi-spherically in the meridian planes, which does not require much mental work on the part of the player.